# Ham Basic — Take the test with confidence!

> Canadian amateur radio Basic license exam preparation and study tool. (iPhone/iPad app by Jim Thomas.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-basic/id554820758 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Jim Thomas](https://appshunter.io/developer/367033762)
- Category: Education, Reference
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 14 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 9.0 · 16 MB
- Languages: American English, French (France)
- Released: 2012-08-31
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-basic/id554820758/reviews.md

## What is Ham Basic?

Ham Radio Exam Preparation for the Canadian Basic License. English and Français.

No ads
No in app purchases

QUESTION BANK:
Study the complete bank of questions and answers that can appear on the amateur radio Basic license exam. The questions and answers are the exact questions published by Industry Canada. All questions are multiple choice.

PROFICIENCY:
See your proficiency for each of the topics you study. Ham Basic tracks your proficiency for you so you always know how you are doing.

AUTO CORRECT:
When you select a wrong answer, Ham Basic shows you the correct answer. This immediately draws your attention to the correct answer. If you do not want Ham Basic to automatically show the correct answer after you select a wrong answer, turn off Auto Correct on the Settings page.

SHUFFLE ANSWERS:
When you take the exam, the multiple choice answers may appear in any order. Ham Basic randomly selects the order for the answers so you do not associate an answer to a question by its position in the list of answers. Turn this off on the Settings page if you want the correct answer always listed first.

SHUFFLE QUESTIONS:
Sometimes an answer may be easier to answer because the previous question provided hints to the current question. Go to the Settings page and turn on Shuffle Questions so that the questions within a topic appear in random order.

STUDY BY WEAKNESS;
As you study, Ham Basic tracks the questions that you fail to answer correctly. Choose Study By Weakness to have Ham Basic present questions you are the weakest on.

## Key features

- Complete question bank from Industry Canada
- Proficiency tracking by topic
- Auto-correct for wrong answers
- Shuffled answers and questions
- Study by weakness feature
- Available in English and French

## Recent user reviews (10 of 14)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-basic/id554820758/reviews.md

### 4/5 — Need update for new question pool.

*2025-12-11*

This is a useful app for studying for the Canada basic exam. But a new question pool was introduced in 2025. The app is s using the old questions.

### 5/5 — By far best app for studying

*2023-04-13, version 2.1.3*

I’ve tried multiple apps, some of them paid, but this one is the most useful BY FAR. The way it organizes questions, rates your progress and keeps track of weaknesses makes studying for the basic exam a breeze.

### 5/5 — Great tool

*2021-12-28, version 2.1.3*

I got the app and used it to study and find areas I needed to study to make sure I passed on my first try VA7AUD

### 5/5 — Great app

*2018-06-13, version 1.13.0.0*

Must have for anybody preparing for basic exam in Canada

### 5/5 — Great study tool!

*2018-04-03, version 1.13.0.0*

This app is faster and easier to use than the government online practice exam generator. If you want to get into amateur radio, this app will be worth your time!

### 5/5 — Best way to get these exams

*2017-10-15, version 1.13.0.0*

You can start at almost any level, do some trial tests, see your weaknesses, go and read the books or go online and do a bit of study. Then come back and repeat the process until you are pretty well hitting 90% on all tests. You will then pass the test with ease. This makes this app the single best easy way to pass the exam. Don’t worry about what you do not understand, you will learn the hobby after you dive into it, there is always more to learn. Get the exam and get going!

### 5/5 — Passed with honours. Thank you!

*2016-05-09, version 1.13.0.0*

My wife and I both used this app to study for our exam and we both passed with honours because of it. It was great having it on our phones to study no matter where we were. We really liked the layout to study by section and especially the days prior to the exam to study by weakness. 73!

### 5/5 — Thank you

*2016-01-28, version 1.13.0.0*

So glad to see a Canadian based app as I am studying for my license. This will help greatly!

### 1/5 — Errors

*2015-05-25, version 1.5*

I can't trust this app and I don't know who to contact, besides the App Store to get a refund.  So far I have found three errors, (see below), and can't continue, as it will be an inefficient use of my study time to check every question to be certain of it.  I'll just study the online authoritative test.
I hope the author fixes the errors I found, and rechecks all the others, then it would be well worth the price, and very useful.  Otherwise it is a hindrance to proper learning! Almost useless!

 The three questions I found to be in error are:
B-004-3-1. The correct answer is PNP transistor, NOT an analytic capacitor.
B-006-4-10 the correct answer is it would increase, NOT decrease
B-007-8-1 the correct answer is scatter, NOT ground wave

### 5/5 — 97% Pass

*2015-05-05, version 1.5*

This program was great for helping me study anywhere/anytime. Great resource to help you pass the exam. Highly recommend.

## Frequently asked questions about Ham Basic

### What is Ham Basic?

Ham Basic is an educational app designed to help users prepare for the Canadian amateur radio Basic license exam. It features the official question bank and study tools to improve proficiency.

### Does Ham Basic have ads?

No, Ham Basic is completely ad-free. The app description explicitly states 'No ads' and 'No in app purchases', ensuring an uninterrupted study experience.

### What languages does Ham Basic support?

Ham Basic is available in both English and Français, catering to a wider range of users preparing for the Canadian amateur radio license.

### How does Ham Basic track my progress?

Ham Basic tracks your proficiency for each topic you study. It identifies questions you answer incorrectly and allows you to focus on those areas with the 'Study By Weakness' feature.

### Can I customize the study experience in Ham Basic?

Yes, Ham Basic offers customization options. You can turn off 'Auto Correct' to see the correct answer only after attempting, and enable 'Shuffle Answers' and 'Shuffle Questions' for a more dynamic study approach.

### What devices is Ham Basic compatible with?

Ham Basic is supported on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It is designed for iOS users looking to study for their amateur radio license.

### How often is Ham Basic updated?

The latest version of Ham Basic is 2.1.3, last updated on April 12, 2020. While not updated frequently, the core content is based on official Industry Canada questions.

### What is the age rating for Ham Basic?

Ham Basic has an age rating of 4+. This indicates it is suitable for users of all ages who are studying for the amateur radio license exam.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.1.3 — 2020-04-12

Fix display problem when device is in dark mode.

### 2.1.2 — 2020-04-10

Improved the app's appearance, enhanced accessibility features, and updated the question bank.

### 1.13.0.0 — 2015-12-03

Updated question bank with the latest from Industry Canada.

### 1.5 — 2013-07-10

Improvements for Landscape viewing in iOS6.

### 1.4.6 — 2012-08-31

No release notes.

## Apps similar to Ham Basic

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Ham Radio Exam](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-radio-exam/id6449501964) | 4.8 (8) | Free | Education |
| [HamExam+](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamexam-plus/id1513984501) | — | Free | Education |
| [ham quiz study app](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-quiz-study-app/id6727016124) | 5.0 (4) | Free | Education |
| [HAM Test Prep Lite:  Extra](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-test-prep-lite-extra/id303414909) | 4.6 (20) | Free | Education |
| [HAM Test Prep Lite:  General](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-test-prep-lite-general/id303413935) | 4.3 (41) | Free | Education |
| [HamWaves](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamwaves/id6497067735) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Education |

## More apps by Jim Thomas

- [Ham Tech](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-tech/id367033758)
- [Ham General](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-general/id367059421)
- [Ham Extra](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-extra/id368585383)
- [Ham Advanced](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-advanced/id1065153684)
- [XE Ham Test](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xe-ham-test/id1534235645)

All apps by Jim Thomas: https://appshunter.io/developer/367033762

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*